Detachable drive-chain



Patented Feb. 8,1881;

Ink/anion:

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ffi wfi W NP 8 PHOTO LJTNOGRAPH WASHINGTON D C NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. POPE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

DETACHABLE DRIVE-CHAIN.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 237,592, dated February 8, 1881.

' Application filed May 16, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. POPE, of

.Oleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinDrive-Chains, of which the following, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a detachable drive-chain embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a section in the plane of the line as x; and Fig. 3 are perspectives of parts of the chain.

My invention relates to that class of chains adapted to cooperate with sprockets or similar devices for carrying chains in driving machinery, and has for its object the improvement of the means heretofore employed ,for connecting the links articulately in such a manner that they may be detached from each other with facility, as may be desirable or necessary, but not accidentally.

To that end my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, substantially as hereinafter described, which I employ for the purpose of coupling the links together detachably, and as set forth.

A A are rectangular open links, and B B are cylindrical end bars forming a part thereof.

O is a coupling, bent to partly embrace both the contiguous end bars, space enough being left between the bent ends of the coupling to receive only one of the said bars at a time.

a is a tongue or projection extending from one of the bent ends of the coupling and toward the other of the said ends, as shown.

a is a notch made in one of the end bars of each link. The notch a is arranged opposite that part of the end bar lapped by the tongue at, and laterally from the said tongue, as indicated in Fig. 3, wherein the link, operating in connection with the tongue a, is represented as removed from the coupling.

It is to be understood that the coupling, as shown, extends from one side bar of the link to the other.

It will be perceived from the foregoing description, and by reference to the drawings, that the links, when arranged horizontally, or

coupled from each other until one is moved laterally with relation to the other, thereby adding to the movements that must occur before accidental uncoupling can happen, and thus diminishing the chances of such accidents.

I am aware that links have heretofore been made which could not be uncoupled until one was moved laterally on or with relation to the other, the side bars of the links being contracted just behind one end bar, and the other end bar being provided with a hook-shaped coupler constructed to slip laterally on the link to be coupled, and to engage the end bar near the contracted parts of the side bars; but I do not here intend to claim that construction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The detachable drive-chain links A A, each having in an end bar the short notch or depression a, arranged near one end thereof, in combination with the couplers O 0, each having on its outer or hooked end or edge the short tongue a, adapted to enter the depression a, and extending partly across the saidedge, and arranged, substantially as shown and described, to lie laterally from the said depression when the links are coupled for work, thereby preventing the uncoupling of the links until they are slipped laterallyin the couplers.

JOHN L. POPE.

Witnesses:

O'rcro ARNOLD, D. J. BARNES. 

